VIRTUE ETHICS
The unexamined life is not worth living.
(Socrates, 470-399 B.C.)
The happy life is thought to be virtuous; now a virtuous life requires exertion and does not consist in amusement. (Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.)
The Four Main Virtues
Prudence (mind): to think about a moral problem clearly and completely
Temperance (emotions): control attraction to positive emotions
Fortitude (emotions): control aversion for negative emotions
Justice (will): choose according to truth and fairness.
Virtue Ethics
Focuses on the type of person we should strive to be
Actions which reflect good character traits (virtues) are inherently right
Actions which reflect bad character traits (vices) are inherently wrong
Virtue ethics are tied more to individual behavior than to that of an organization (e.g. business, government)
ARISTOTLE says that moral virtues are tendencies, acquired through habit formation, to reach a proper balance between extremes in conduct, emotion, desire and attitude i.e. virtues are tendencies to find the Golden Mean between the extremes of too much and too little.
Some of the virtues are defined using examples here:
Virtue |
Too much |
Too less |
(Golden mean between extremes) |
||
Courage |
Foolhardiness |
Cowardice |
Truthfulness |
Revealing all in violation of tact and confidentiality |
Being secretive or lacking in candor |
Generosity |
Wasting ones resources |
Being miserly |
Friendliness |
Being annoyingly effusive |
Sulky or surly |